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United Nations Space Command Spartan Corps
The Special Proficiency, Assault, Reconnaissance and Tactical Augmented Nonconventional-force, Fourth Generation (SPARTAN-IV) Program, also referred to as the 117th Special Operations Regiment, is the UNSC's most elite special forces unit, utilising genetical, surgical and cybernetic augments, powered exoskeletons, expert training and advanced wargear to secure victory for the UNSC against otherwise impossible odds. Spartans are recruited from UNSC top-tier operators or from other closed super soldier programs, such as previous iterations of the Spartan program, or more secretive programs such as the Sigma program, Project Siren and Project Myrmidon. History First Generation The Spartan-IV program was originally brought about in 2553 as the brainchild of Musa-096, a crippled Spartan-II. Approved and funded by Admiral Margaret Parangosky, the program would use consenting adults recruited from the UNSCDF and new generation augmentations and armour. The program was quickly hailed as a huge success and the Spartan-Iv program was elevated to its own branch within the UNSC Defence Force. Spartan-IVs ballooned to thousands very quickly, and the UNSC threw them at every major problem they had. Covenant remnant, Insurrectionists, pirates, exploration, guard duty, so on. The Spartan program was a huge success, and it seemed like it would only get bigger. This all began to change in July, 2577. When the UNSC Infinity arrived and subsequently crashed on Requeim, they came up against a numerically and technologically superior foe, with as much if not more combat experience. The Spartan-IVs took heavy casualties against both Sangheili and Promethean forces, and only just made it off Requiem. Their second tour, six months later, fared little better. Despite headway made by a number of spartan teams, for the most part they took heavy casualties, far heavier than expected. Most of this was brought down to two factors. Ineffectiveness of chain of command, where Spartan assets were often heavily misused and deployed with little to no intelligence or support, and the second reason being significant skill gaps between The original Spartans and the new IVs. This became more and more apparent during Operation: BULLROAR where Spartan-II and III teams were placed upon the Infinity, and significantly outclassed their IV 'replacements'. This came to a head during the New Manila bombing. During a routine dock visit above the word of New Manila, A group of 30 Spartan-IVs and a single III, harbouring resentment for the UNSC for numerous reasons, chose this as their time to defect. Planting a substantial explosive device on S-Deck, in the Spartan hangar, they detonated it, killing almost 80 spartans and 200 UNSC personnel, and blowing a hole in the side of the ship. Hijacking a embarked Frigate, and sabotaging the others, they fled, leaving the UNSC Infinity stranded in space and venting atmosphere. The following hunt was rigorous and thorough, with most of the defectors killed, captured or executed. However, this wasn't the first time IVs defected, nor would it be the last. Given the loss of almost a third of the Infinity's Spartan compliment, UNSC High Command began to look closely at the Spartan program. Given the instabilities, the Spartan Branch was disbanded, and scapegoats were sacrificed, among them were director of naval intelligence, Admiral Parangosky. Rebirth With the Spartan Branch disbanded, and most members returned to unit (RTU), the UNSC was left only a few scattered II and III teams. It was then that Colonel Urban Holland, of Army Special Forces, presented his proposal for the Thunderbolt Initiative. The Thunderbolt Initiative was original conceived during a discussion between Colonel Holland and Jun-A266 at the end of the war. There were still many generation-II operators left, several scattered teams of MJOLNIR certified IIIs, and an entire company of IIIs, all still field capable but not all trained, equipped and augmented to similar levels. Both talked of the idea of retraining and re-equipping IIIs from Gamma with help from field experienced operators, but the when Holland presented his idea to Beta-5, they turned him down in favour of Paragnosky's new IV program. Initially, Holland tried to again propose his program to the ONI brass, and again failed, until he was approached by Doctor Catherine Elizabeth Halsey, who offered to lend not only her considerable clout at ONI, and scientific expertise to the Initiative, but also the support of Class-I SPARTANS. Within a few months, Holland's program was given the green light, and preparations began. While ONI was unsure of allowing their entire SPARTAN force to be taken out of action for months, or even years, Holland revised the program to train batches at a time, to quickly get combat operable squads back into the fray. This methodology of 'Spartans training Spartans' quickly showed its merits, and the few IV teams brought into the Thunderbolt Initiative quickly increased in skill and lethality under the close tutelage of Spartan-II and III operators. First Taste of Combat A clan of Kig-Yar Pirates had made a string of bases in the Jaguar Expanse, a region of systems usually dotted with asteroid field and only a single, habitable planet, creating a large smuggling, slavery and piracy trade for themselves and the Remnants in the area. As part of Operation: DEVIANT, the SPARTAN-IVs went in first to their bases, hiding aboard captured Kig-Yar freighters. Gradually, the SPARTANS attack and took all eighteen of their asteroid stations as the navy mopped up their ships. They carried forth their attack on Kol, the Kig-Yar planet, with half the force going in as advance teams, disabling anti aircraft positions, capturing vital locations, destroying vehicle fuel and ammo dumps and destroying moored ships. After eight hours of absolute chaos, the UNSC Navy arrived in system, in force, and smashed aside the Kig Yar fleets and deployed the remaining half of the SPARTANS as a regular force, backed up by elements of the 21st Panzer Regiment, giving them armoured back up. Within three hours of sustained fighting, the clan piecemeal retreated out system or surrendered to the UNSC. With zero casualties, it was a brilliant pass of the SPARTAN program. However, their true baptism in fire was yet to come. Operation: WARDOG Their first 'real operation' was Operation: WARDOG, a sustained guerilla campaign on Hannibal III, a human colony recently taken by Remnant forces. While the navy was being mustered the SPARTANs began to devise a guerilla warfare plan, even before approached by HIGHCOM. When HIGHCOM prepared to send them there, they showed them their plan. It was bold but simple. Their platoons would be individually dropped onto the surface, across the whole entire surface, by stealth infiltrator ships, along with equipment necessary for base camps and vehicles for ground operations. From there, they would establish hidden bases deep within enemy terrain and then from there, launch raids up until the UNSC arrived in system. The majority of the units 'disappeared' into the thick woods of the planet, where they would only make encrypted, 'bounced' COM's very rarely to HIGHCOM to report their status. From these positions they would go out on raids, destroying enemy depots, setting garrisons alight and destroying ground positions during the night, then melt into the darkness. These raids where highly successful, destroying enemy concentrations with near zero casualties. Though one 'odd' raiding method, spearheaded by Bravo Company, with SPARTAN-013 at the head of this method, was using the warthogs they had dropped in with, which were usually for exfiltration or movement between raids, to rapidly assault enemy air fields, destroying their landed Phantoms, Banshees and Seraphs, while a number of other troops would stealthily infiltrate the other segments of the airfield when their guards were drawn out and destroy the waiting aircraft, either through planting bombs on them, 'shooting them up', sabotaging them or in one documented case, destroying the internal electronic systems with brute force before leaving, as did the mounted unit. Up until this point they only took one death along with a few minor injuries. When the UNSC Fleet was finally mustered and entered system, preparing to smash aside the Remnant fleet, the SPARTANS went into their final phase of the plan. Each battalion got their individual tasks. Third Battalion was assigned to attack a number of cross road villages, bridges and mountain passes, take them and hold them against Remnant counterattack until relived. They were also assigned to destroy a number of key bridges to hamper enemy movement in and out of the designated landing zones. Second Battalion was assigned to securing enemy anti aircraft positions and landing zones. Their engineer teams were at the forefront of this, laying out pioneer landing positions for their dropships and frigates along with destroying enemy AA batteries. First Battalion had one of the more prestigious engagements, with their whole company formed up to take one of the most important locations. When the Remnant took to the world, they forced the survivors into 'prison camps' in the second town on the planet, as the capital was largely destroyed in the primary assault. Though the SPARTANs had observed this position for some time, they were unable to attack or do anything about the regular brutality endured by the enslaved humans. Now was their chance. With the majority of their garrison out on patrol to stop the humans, their reinforcements destroyed in raiding and they vehicles out there search for their ghost like enemies or on fire, their defence was pitiful. After infiltrating the Remnant perimeter en mass, they launched their lightning attack from below and above, rappelling for infiltrated buildings, exploding from sewers like rats. Brutes and their Jackal, Grunt and Drone conscripts still remember the sheer destructive force of one 'demon' but now hundreds of them suddenly leaped from the shadows, putting their forces into a whole sale rout. Key objectives, such as landing zones, defensive positions and prisons were taken and held. With the Brutes losing the majority of the interior of the town and only holding the largely useless suburbs and exterior, they spent two hours regrouping and then moved in to re-take their positions. They marched into hundreds of 'kill zones' laced with mines, rockets, machine guns and snipers. Within twenty minutes of their counterattack they suffered 58% casualties and fell back. Ordering their armoured forces to return and attack, they prepared to march in again. Most of those forces never made it back to the town, with them being caught up in ambushes along objectives the other battalions had taken or destroyed by the first wave of UNSC air forces. Of the few that made it back, their heavy units were destroyed and the majority of their fast units, eleven ghosts and five choppers, broke through to the central square, past the measly SPARTAN defence. In a well orchestrated trap, they had box their rapid assault vehicles in, trapping them off from the remaining forces and destroyed them at will. Though this part of the engagement is the least well documented, it is reported that the battalion's Warthogs moved in at this time and attacked, while one SPARTAN, allegedly 013, hijacked a moving chopper and then, along with the warthogs, pushed out of the square and swept up the last of the enemy resistance. During the latter phase of the operation, only three SPARTANs died, while there were several more sever casualties. Operation: REAPER While the navy dealt with the majority of the Remnant incursions, the SPARTANs had a new task. Putting down a human rebellion in its infancy. The destruction wrought by the Insurrection taught the UNSC to destroy these rebellions before they managed to spread to the UNSC proper. When the first stages of rebellion began to the world of Harmal began, the UNSC began a media black out and immediately sent in the SPARTANs to deal with the rebellion. The rebels had made several improvised bases, along with combat vehicles out in the ash wastes of the volcanically active world, which had to be dealt with. They even had an improvised leisure cruiser come warship along with a few 'technicals'. This time round, rather than going for guerilla warfare or all out assaults, the IVs went the road of stealth and assassinations. With infiltration of major compounds and the assassination or capture of many of their major leaders, along with the sabotage of the fusion generators that powered their bases, the use of 'geo bombs' provided by the Sangheili to cause earth quakes and volcanic eruptions to literally make it seem as if the bases never existed and the sabotage of their warship. During this operation SPARTAN-A044 was actually captured and revealed the nature of the IV project but soon escaped and killed his captors, resulting in the secret not escaping. After two weeks of system wide media black out, blamed on solar storms, it was lifted, with any trace of the rebellion buried under ash and magma. OPERATION:FIRE/OPERATION:HELLFIRE Third Battle of Linna Recruitment Initially, Spartan recruitment followed extremely stringent recruitment protocols. The first recruited were IIIs and IVs, subjected to heavy personnel checks, looking at their history, service record and response to questions and images to gauge their sympathy for the enemy and loyalty to the UNSC. These Spartans saw augmentation and implantation in new teams, prior to specialised training. After this, Colonel Holland received clearance to begin recruit Sigma, Siren and Myrmidon-class Operators into the fold. When the program began recruiting new potential Spartans from unaugmented special forces operators, many of the same selection protocols applied, with the candidates subjected to intensive background and personality tests. Prior to this, potential recruits are selected via observation of their personnel records. Special Forces operators have huge records, recording their confirmed combat kills, intelligence quotient, combat skill, individual talents, completed training and specialisations, citations by superiors and peers, personnel reviews, psychological data and award citations. If they clear the numerous checks, they are cleared for selection. Selection Those picked for selection are subjected to the extreme '20 days of fire'. The 20 days consists of extreme physical exercises, usually individual exercises mixed with team exercises, for upwards of 20 hours in day, mental aptitude and reaction tests, then orienteering, ending in the 'duck hunt', where aspirants are abandoned in the highlands of Arcturus, to make it back to a camp, while hunted by a Special Forces team, who usually relish the hunt. They have a 3 day period to complete the course, usually under threat of airborne and motorised hunting teams equipped with PPT munitions. Those that make it back in an allotted time frame pass the selection. Those moved from other augmented soldier programs, such as SPARTAN-II and III programs, Sigma Program, phase 1 SPARTAN-IV and Siren/Myrmidon programs only need to to pass physical and mental examinations then sent to augmentation and new training. Augmentation Those candidates that pass the selection are brought to the UNSC Navy medical facility on Kodiak Station, orbiting Arcturus. The augmentation period is set over four weeks, usually with several surgeries per week. The new program was designed to be as harsh as the SPARTAN-II program, with focus on team work and combat skills. A heavy specification was also placed onto specialization as well, to ensure that the unit could operate as a Marine company in combat. With out their knowledge, the SPARTANS had already been undergoing augmentations, usually used on Marines. Using drugs used in previous SPARTAN-III augmentations and new drugs, there was a 99.9% pass rate of SPARTANS. Tier 1 Tier 1 was primarily a drug and gene therapy program to naturally increase their abilities, given to them during the duration of their augmentation in tailored amounts. *Type-λ Anabolic steroids: The Type-λ Anabloic Steroid is a reliable, safe Steroid that has been in use for over 250 years. The Type-λ Steroid, only cleared for UNSC use in 2546, out of desperation, is a synthetic Anabloic Steroid with very few side effects, is 'gender-safe' and has little hormonal interference. The drug strengthens muscle strength, density and encourages growth of new muscle fibres. It also encourages strengthening of bone tissue. The drug, mixed with a carefully controlled diet, increases the strength of the user. *89567-MC11: Decreases muscle recovery time from strenuous exercise, increasing stamina. *47833-BY22: Drugs that speed up the breaking down of fatty energy stores in the body (Conserved by Service diets) during strenuous exercise, increasing the amount of energy available. *SPARTANS receive a number of gene therapy sessions to increase their natural strength and intelligence, and increase their resistance to certain chemical, biological and radiological elements and remove potential genetic 'time bombs'. Tier 2 Tier 2 was their cybernetic augmentations, including their neural interface and protective implants. *Neural Implant: The SPARTANs are equipped with extensive Neural Implants. Using artificially grown neuro-fibres grown into microscopic computer chips, grown via galactose 'trails' then attached via neural surgery to the brain. There are a number of microscopic implants attached to each major section of the brain then connected to a control section implanted near each lobe, then all attached to the central nervous centre neurally bonded directly to the brain stem. Through the neural implants, users can communicate with each other, by thought, by sending coding electronic messages from one neural implant connected to a network to another and send messages to connected systems, such as body armour or attached vehicles. *Rebreather Implants: The lungs are lined with a specially engineered 'intelligent' polymer that increases the Spartan's oxygen intake, filters toxins and allows them to breath otherwise hostile environments, such as carbon dioxide rich atmospheres. This polymer have an incredibly affinity oxygen. This prevents poisonous gas attacks, asphyxia from an increase in gases other than oxygen and improves the cardiovascular system. *Vascular Implants: Vascular implants are installed that filter drugs, toxins and viral agents from the blood stream to severely reduce their effect. Spartans develop incredibly resistances to absorbed or injected chemicals, making it near impossible to drug them. **Nervous System Implants: A number of microscopic implants in the nervous system designed to stop nerve toxins from effecting the nervous system by neutralising them first. This gives them a resistance to nerve gases, electroshock weaponry and neural inhibitors. *Node 31.7: A Node that is reversed engineered from *CLASSIFIED UNDER DIRECTIVE:REVENANT* that produces nanites that give the SPARTANS an incredibly immunity to viral and bacterial threats, natural or not. It also gives them a total resistance against nano-viruses and limited resistance to chemical weapons and carcinogens. *Node 32.1: A Node that is reversed engineered from *CLASSIFIED UNDER DIRECTIVE:REVENANT* that produces a number of specialized nanites that greatly increase the healing time of the body by provoking cell division, creating on site clotting agents though the production of Leucocytic coprotien complexes and microfibrin spindlase clotting agents, breaking down harmful substances in the body such as Lactic Acid and in some rumoured cases, keeping the body alive in near death circumstances by manually feeding the brain oxygen to maintain the brain, and causing short burst electric shocks (as a colony) to the heart in an attempt to revive it, even after the body has 'died', though development in this field has been restricted. Tier 3 Their final Augmentations, that would mark them as 'true' SPARTANS, was a mixture of drug, cybernetic and physical surgical alterations. *Drug therapy Augments: The SPARTANS were greatly enhanced by the use of drugs **Drug 8942-LQ99: A carbide ceramic ossification catalyst. This significantly strengthens bone structure, making the bone structure dense and extremely tough. **Drug 88005-MX77: A fibroid muscular protein complex that increased muscle density and decreased lactose recovery time and allowed them to lift three times their own body weight. This was applied to every major body muscle, especially skeletal muscles, along with the post augmented heart. This gave them, even with out their MJOLNIR, fantastic raw strength. **Drug 88947-OP24:A retina-inversion stabilizer drug. A drug that boosted colour vision and night vision by increasing blood flow beneath the rods and cones of the eye. Not only did their eyesight become sharper and keener, with a low diffraction rate, giving them extremely long range eyesight, but they could also see in low light situations very clearly. **37895-CT69 which safely facilitates the superconducting fabrication of neural drendites, altering the bioelectrical nerve transduction to shielded electronic transduction. Resulting in a 300 percent increase in reflexes. Increase in intelligence, memory, and creativity. *Physical Augments: The SPARTANS also underwent a number of physical and cybernetic augments **AEGIS Ceramic Augment: While drug 8942-LQ99 significantly strengthens bones, it paves the way for surgical grafting of AEGIS Ceramic armour to skeleton. coverage covers almost 57% of bone because, thanks to newer, nano-assembled porous materials, which prevents necrosis of white blood cells and allows easy transfer of chemicals across the armour and bone. This allows the majority of the SPARTAN's bones to be armoured, mostly the cranium, rib cage, hip, tibia's, fibula's, femur, radius, ulna, humerus and spine. this makes those bones almost unbreakable, owing to much of the SPARTANs extreme hardiness, survivability from extreme conditions and high falls. **Lydecker's Carapace: A experimental application of cultures of flash cloned bone and cartilage, these are custom grown for each SPARTAN, reinforced by Carbide ossification and AEGIS Ceramic grafting then surgically applied. The bones form rib bone sized and shaped pieces, with cartilage which is induced by biochemical procedures to anchor itself to bone. They are applied to rib bones to cover the intercostal spaces, anchored firmly to the upper rib. This makes an overlapping set of natural armour, greatly increasing the protection of their higher muscles and organs and in particular a resistance to stabbing injuries. The resulting augment leaves the rib cage bullet proof to small calibre rounds. **Cardio-enhancement surgery: This consisted of surgery aimed at the heart. Using flash grown muscle tissues and on site repair, bonding and nerve and blood vessel pathway creation by *CLASSIFIED UNDER DIRECTIVE:REVENANT* that produces nanites, the cardiac volume can be greatly increased, along with using Drug 88005-MX77 to increase its effectiveness as well. This was in part to support other new physical augments. **Pulmonary enhancement surgery: The surface area of the lungs is greatly increased through surgery and chemical augmentation, increasing lung capacity and fitted with implants to reduced vulnerability to chemical and biological weapons. **Endoskeletal weaves are applied to all major bone structures. This is done with micro-nanite surgery which reinforce the skeleton with a synthetic armour weave, making bones substantially stronger. **Pancreas Replacement: The Pancreas is replaced by a vat grown organ, studded with cybernetic implants linked to the medical sensors. This new and improved organ produces larger amounts of vital hormones and improved digestive enzymes to increase the amount of nutrients gained from food. This is all controlled by the micro-implants, carefully maintaining the body's balance and peak performance. **Major muscle groups are treated with nanite colonies that perforate muscles with synthetic fibres that increase the strength of the muscle and resistance to damage, while decreasing the potential damage gained for muscle exertion, making Servicemen stronger, more hardy and giving them greater endurance. **The skin is impregnated with a micro-lattice of strong synthetic fibres to increase over all resistance to damage and reduce the harmful effects of UV light and burning against skin. *SOCOM cybernetic package: **Thunderbolt Reflex Booster: The Reflex Booster is a cybernetic augmentation that boosts the reflex of the user and improves reaction time. This allows a user to react faster than an unaugmented human and split their attention between multiple targets. The system itself consists of a central hub connected to a module installed in the spine, with nodes in the arms and legs, connected to major nerve bundles and to other sections of the Vestibular system, which controls dexterity, muscle control and reaction time. The nodes are activated by the central module, sending signals to the nodes at the speed of thought, then back at coordinating systems in the spine. By stimulating neurons, this system replaces absent sensor function and enable enhanced function, with some training. **CX-7 Interceptor Implants: The Interceptor implant uses implanted bio-plastic lenses in the eye, embedded with nano-circuitry with neural laces attached to the optical nerve. These lenses, at a basic level, can enhance visual acuity, allowing vision at extended range. They can also produce a limited HUD when attached to an external system, through the users neural interface. The Interceptor implant can also take visually attained data and feed it through to other implants to share data, enhance reactions and even record live data. The Interceptor also provides limited protection against high power glare, even those produced by man-made sources, such as flash bang grenades. **VKA-551 Social Response Implant: The Social Response Implant (SRI) is a cranial implant that gathers data gathered by the Interceptor eye augmentation and the AEM augmentation to passively and actively monitor an individual for influence or interrogation. The implant monitors an individuals facial expression, body language, sweat secretions, heart rate, pupil dilation, voice modulation and environmental factors. It can also draw upon target data stored in UNSC databases. Software upgrades allow it to work against a wider variety of races. This allows those with this implant to safely defuse dangerous situations, interrogate prisoners and discover the truth. **MD-66 NeuroLink Electronic System: The MD-66 NeuroLink is a specialised electronic system that provides a wireless system link to not only external systems but to internal systems. It also has a number of plug in slots for expanding systems to improve its functionality and add uses. The MD-66 NeuroLink is itself, plugged into the Neural Lace, providing a bulwark between the Neural Lace and the mind itself. The MD-66 NeuroLink links to any other active augmentation, sending and receiving data on their running, acting as a central diagnostic and control system. It also provides a centralized protection against cybernetic attacks, with complex defensive hardware and software. The Wireless system also allows it to send and receive narrowband microwave messages and interface with nearby wireless systems. When hooked into larger, more powerful communication systems, like MJOLNIR armour, it allows for 'radio telepathy', sending messages interpreted straight from brain input. ***MD-661 Cybernetic Warfare Module: The MD-661 CWM (CyWar) is a plugin module for the NeuroLink that provides offensive Cyber Warfare systems for the operator. This modules contains numerous high power processors and CPUs, with codebreaking systems, counter-cryptographic subroutines and Information Warfare solutions to defeat millions of different defences, from across the entirety of Alliance Space. ***MD662 Network Analysis Module: The MD661 NAM is a module that uses specialised scripting systems to analysis and silently snoop in on systems, without raising alarm systems. This allows it to intrude for investigation, though prevents major data insertion or retrieval. **Adrenal Thermal Metabolase Implant: Adrenal implant that releases a catalyst that enhances adrenal response during times of physiological stress, but also produces and controls a nanite containing co-enzyme inhibitor for the harmful by-product of the catalyst. This implant allows for enhanced responses during scenarios entailing extreme pressure. **FQ-67 Cognitive Enhancement Implant: The CEI implantation consists of four separate implants, two plugged into each hemisphere of the brain. Each implant consists of a brain machine interface, with a highly specialised CPU cluster that is designed to enhance brain function. It delicately provides nootropic stimulation, enhancing brain function. Through controlled stimulation, data parsing and enhancement, it can achieve neural synchronisity, allowing for faster brains, that can react faster, process data faster and provide fast data uploads. **QR-4 Medical System: The QR-4 consists of a large network of finely tuned augments that monitor the health of the operator and work to restore it in the event their health is endangered. The central augment consists of a diagnostic module implanted in the lower back that controls smaller secondary modules in the occurrence of critical damage through internal or external trauma. ***Sensors: The Sensor module consists of hair thin sensors attached to the vital organs. This sensors monitor the health status of the operator, and can alert him to organ failure, damage or trauma. There are also sensors in the lymphatic system and adrenal glands. ***Implanted Defibrillator: The Defibrillator module consists of inbuilt paddles, intended to re-establish normal sinus rhythm in the event the heart undergoes arrhythmia. This defibrillator has a charge of 80 and can be vital in saving the life of a critically injured operator. The unit is directly controlled by the Medical System and carefully controlled, allowing precise control of the electric pulses. ***Wound Suppression System: The WSS consists of a number of modules designed to decrease healing time without potential life threatening side effects. One module controls Leucocytic coprotein complex and microfibrin spindlase distribution from nanite controlled node, allowing for near instant clotting of vascular breaches, without incurring fatal blood clots, through carefully controlled application and nanite control systems. The second module is an Angiogenesis Protein Therapy system, promoting growth of new blood vessels from existing ones to heal wounds at an increased pace. The last module is a Nerve Stimulator implant, intended to control the release of neurotransmitters related to healing and recovery, allowing for neuromodulation of the immune system, allowing for control of the immune cycles, reduction in systemic inflammation and increases in the speed of healing. **XA-91 Inner Ear Implants: A series of carefully introduced implants to the inner ear, intended to protect the ears from auditory assault, sharpens hearing and directional detection and implants to the balance centres, that not only protect them from potential confusion but increases their ability to maintain their balance, giving them incredibly balance and agility. A number of inner ear implants also manipulate the small bones in the ear, allowing it to produce like for like sound, when audio data is transmitted to the NeuroLink. This generates a 'silent' radio receiver so an operative can receive updates without alerting others. ***XI-116 Neural Stabilization Feedback System: The NSFS is a cranial implant that reads feedback produced by the inner ear and optical implants to adjust the operators output. every second the augment monitors the operators orientation and balance then processes this into positive feedback, modifying this out put so the operators balance and hand-eye co-ordination and muscle control is regulated and enhance. ***BH-22 Microprobe Throat Implant: This implant allows a user to send audio messages through their NeuroLink without actually speaking, by manipulating their vocal chords. This means an Operator can send audio messages online without the use of microphones, recording equipent, or even moving their mouth. Training Phase 1 (Augmentation Acclimatisation) Following augmentation the first phase of their training began. The Spartans were acclimatised to their new augments a battery of physical and mental exercises, and a number of tests to ensure the new implants and augmentations are functioning properly. These included extensive physical exercises allowing them to more accurately control their increased strength and improved reflexes. This also included significant hand-eye coordination tests, reflex tests, physical exercises, stamina tests and mental tests, all intended to gauge the level at which their attributes have been improved. This is followed by a familiarisation course on the function and use of their new neural implants (Should they not already be equipped with them.). At randomised times during this phase, and all others, SPARTANS may come under assault by their instructors or be subjected to gas attack, requiring decisive and quick action. Phase 2 (MJOLNIR Certification) This phase of training is better known as 'Armour School' among the recruits. During this phase they will be introduced to their first MJOLNIR armour, the Recruit. During their MJOLNIR crash course, they go under several weeks of training. At first, they learn to walk in their armour, then run, and finally all the natural movements they would have outside of their armour, tackling assault courses like they were nothing. They then begin system familiarisation, becoming familiar with using, maintaining and exploiting the MJOLNIR system, learning of the numerous bolt on electronic packages, armour modules and manipulating the electronic systems. This training will involve sparring, tackling an advanced course combining shooting and obstacle course and, engaging a remote wireless system using only on-board electronics and the drop course, which requires them to perform two leaps, one from the 300 metre tall signals tower in the UNSC Urban Combat Arena and are expected to use shielding shaped into wingsuits to navigate their way out, and the second jump is from a Pelican in low orbit, with no chute. Once familiarised with MJOLNIR systems, they are introduced to specialised variations, though full familiarisation with these occurs later. Phase 3 (Shooting, Advanced Weapons, Close Combat, Vehicle Familiarisation and Electronics) Phase 3 introduces Spartans first to many of the most advanced war fighting gear in the UNSC. The longest phase, the entire training session is punctuated by frequent and intense live fire exercises. During this phase, Spartans will fire more ammunition than every other unit in SOCOM combined. Their primary lessons focus on high accuracy engagements with a variety of targets, including ranged stationary targets and moving targets. Next they'll be expected to run the 'kill house'. The kill house, modelled on the UNSC Infinity's wargame deck, utilises advanced holography and hard light projections to create convincing combat arenas. At first, individual Spartans will run the kill house against static targets, then in teams of two, three, and running up to teams of four. These static targets will increase in complexity until they eventually face mobile holographic hostiles, carrying hostages with live ammunition. These two lessons are repeated continually at first, until they are introduced to the next few lessons. Spartans will be introduced to close combat/unarmed combat training, practice to utilise their super human strength and reflex to perform moves otherwise impossible. Their training will involve sparring with other Spartan trainees and non-augmented trainers, practising with bladed weapons and finally more practical lessons, such as disarming an opponent, silently taking down a number of different enemies and fighting other Spartans, bedecked in full MJOLNIR. Utilising the most advanced weaponry the UNSC possesses, they'll learn to utilise, strip and maintain these weapons. They also begin familiarisation with non-standard weapons, foreign weapons and the weapons of their enemies and are expected to be as deadly with the enemies firearms as they are with their own. Similarly, they'll go through vehicle familiarisation, and are expected to have a a full working knowledge of their most commonly combat vehicles, such as the Warthog, Mongoose, Fenris and Pelican, and have the knowledge to operate any friendly or enemy vehicle. Lastly, they'll be introduced to the full spectrum of UNSC electronics. Every little piece of equipment like radios, data recorders, sensor beacons, remote weapons, drone systems, they have to learn it all. They also familiarise themselves with electronics associated with Covenant and Insurrectionist forces. They'll rotate between all these lessons during this phase. Phase 4 (Advanced Tactics) Phase 4 introduces Spartans to many unusual and specialised tactics required in their service. Their first lessons involve demolitions and entry systems. Utilising explosives, they'll learn our to blow an entry into a build, demolish a target and a great many other wondrous uses for high explosives, as as how to properly employ them, or even build them from common materials, as well as familiarity with the uses and effects of explosives used by their enemies. For entry tests, they'll learn and practice entering a hostile building, using explosives, lock picks, tools, electronic systems, hydraulic battering rams breaching munitions (From shotguns or microrockets) or cutting their way in. During this phase they will also begin 'trade craft' expertise, where representatives from the Office of Naval Intelligence will begin tutoring them on espionage, contacting agents and informants, conducting surveillance and counter-surveillance, accessing military and public networks illegally and interrogation. They will also learn executive protection, learning how to protect and escort VIPs. Spartans will also learn advanced field aid and medical treatment, as well as interrogation resistance (Most of which is performed in the darkly famed "Black Pit", intended to break Spartans. They will begin learning lessons on small unit tactics, practising in randomised teams on how to execute combat manoeuvres, with frequent war games matchmaking in the Kill House to test and hone their skills. Lastly, they'll learn hostage rescue. This begins with rapid target identifying, with static targets switching between 'enemy' and 'friendly'. This will escalate to holographic targets holding hostages, practising sniping hostile targets in a hostage situation and lastly, their ultimate test in this area, dynamically entering a target building held by holographic terrorists, with several teams working in conjunction and using live ammo, while their fellow Spartans play hostage. Phase 5 (Hazardous Environments) The Hazardous Environments phase is perhaps the most dangerous one. Spartans initially begin this exercise with specialised parachuting, including from low orbit and base jumping, as well as utilising several well known military parachuting techniques such as wingsuits, High Altitude, Low Opening (HALO) and the more stealthy High Altitude, High Opening (HAHO). It'll also include orienteering, navigation and advanced survival skills, utilising natural remedies to treat injuries, hunting and gathering and finding their way without the use of maps or navigational equipment. They'll begin a phase of combat diving, learning how to perform long distance water-borne insertions, in and out of MJOLNIR, fight under water, plant explosives and all the while they have to contend with the random sabotage of their own diving gear. All of the combat diving training is performed on Emerald Cove. Next they begin their Zero-G training. Decidedly tricky, and very dangerous, they practice deep space and orbital combat exercises, learning how to fight and battle in a low to zero gravity environment. They'll learn to enter space stations and warships, perform a variety of Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle (SOEIV) entries, as well as utilising its more advanced cousin, the Long Range Stealth Orbital Insertion Pod (LRSOIP). Their last test for this element of their training is the notoriously unpredictable slipspace transition, wherein they'll leave a ship in slipspace and transition back to real space, hopefully to be picked up. The last phase of their training is the extreme environment training, involving lessons on obscenely inhospitable environments, such as Arctic conditions, lifeless deserts, mountain climbing, deep sea navigation, high pressure environments, low pressure environments and asteroids. The last two elements of this training course are two intense trials, intended to put their hazardous environment knowledge to the test. The first test involves them being air dropped onto the notoriously hostile world of world of Erebus VII. The tectonically active crust, the monstrous super-flora and highly predatory creatures making escaping the world difficult. In full MJOLNIR armour and equipped with basic survival gear, Spartans are expected to make it to their extraction zone safely. The second drop makes Erebus look like a walk in the park. The world of Styx can adequately be described as nightmarish. A high pressure atmosphere of sulphur dioxide, seas of corrosive acid, active volcanoes spewing fire and constant streams of magma, burning hot days followed by freezing cold nights and mild radiation to boot, it is utterly inhospitable to life. Spartans are dropped in HAZOP armour and expected it to make it back to the only facility on the planet, a UNSC Navy training facility. They have only a few days on the planet before their armour begins to fail, from heat, corrosion and pressure, and once a single component fails, they'll be dead within 1 minute. Phase 6 (Specialist Training) The last phase of genuine training was the beginning of the Spartans specialist training. Up until now, Spartans received no specialist training and were instead trained in a great variety of areas. Constant observation, past records, psych exams and skill scores in various training areas and cross examination by the training artificial intelligences are used to come up with a number of advised training courses, though ultimately the Spartan will choose the three they will complete over the next few weeks. Some are brought over from the original Thunderbolt INiative, while others have been introduced for increased specialisation. The specialist training courses are as follows. *Sniper School: The Sniper School trains Spartans to perform as long distance target purgers. During this intensive course, they will learn a number of new skills and hone their sniping skill. Teamed with a partner, they will take terms in being sniper/observer, and learn advanced techniques, such as selecting the optimum position, employing concealment, spotting and directing ranged ordnance strikes, shadowing and observing enemy forces, employing patience, eliminating targets at obscene ranges and learning counter-sniper and asymmetric warfare techniques, learning to demoralise the enemy and break their chain of command. *Advanced Close Quarter Combat Breacher: This school hones the Spartan for breaching situations, honing their skill at breaching fortified and non-fortified positions, warships and other locations, while employing high accuracy fire at high speeds to avoid taking out friendlies. *Surreptitious Entry: The more subversive version of the prior training school, this focuses on utilising mechanical and electronic bypasses to enter a secure area. A highly technical school, Spartans are expected to be able to pick high security locks in seconds and able to fool electronic locks just as easily. *Advanced Surveillance Operations: In the ASO school, Spartans improve their surveillance abilities, hunting targets even when the trail has been cold for some time. Using psychology, technology and hunting techniques of ancient tribes, Spartans are expected to be able to locate, follow and observe a target without being noticed. *Advanced Vehicle Skills: While most Spartans are familiar with most vehicles, those in the AVS are expected to become experts on the vehicles of the UNSC, those of their allies, and those of their enemies. As well as knowing how to deconstruct, repair and rebuild their own vehicles, they can identify enemy vehicles and advise the most prudent manner for destroying them. These Spartans often go on to become ASP team members. *Advanced Combat Engineering Course: A specialised training course, this mixes advanced demolitions techniques with advance combat engineering skills, allowing Combat Engineers to not only break it, but fix it. Familiarising themselves with UNSC and alien technology, they'll learn to repair or sabotage a wide variety of technologies, and learn how to properly apply explosives, especially in regards to large structures, demolishing bridges, towers, damns and buildings. *Drone Operator: Spartans are expected to have significant drone combat support, and drone operators are at the forefront of that. Learning the various drones of the UNSC, they'll learn how to communicate, direct and repair them should they suffer damage. Spartans rely on significant drone support in the field to make up for their obvious short comings in numbers and ordnance. These operators, by the end of their stint will often be able to direct several drones simultaneously, with startling skill. *Spartan Warfare Combat Fighting Course: The most popular course, the SWCFC hones every element of a Spartans skill base, teaching them advanced combat techniques, honing their accuracy in combat situations and their close and unarmed combat skills. It'll also hone their familirisation with firearms and explosives of the UNSC. *Officer Course: Spartan officer candidates are commonly earmarked for this school, as it provides them with all the advanced leader training they need, learning to coordinate and direct a section of Spartans. Long serving NCOs also qualify for this school. *Infantry Leader Course: A school for NCO leaders, it focuses on combat leadership of small units and maintaining unit cohesion under pressure. *Warrant Officer Course: SPARTANS who show skill at advisory, technical and operational skill will be selected for Warrant Officer school, cramming in a wide variety of subjects such as operational support, learning technical skills to support forces in the field and combat advising. Usually, they will work alongside special forces, serving under a Warrant Officer for training, before being returned to be embedded with a Spartan unit. *Special Weapons School: Spartans in the SWS learn to become precise and deadly with a range of exotic weapons not commonly seen, even in special forces. Energy weapons, long range munition launchers and other types of heavy weapons are often par for the course. Spartans also learn to intimately know weapons from outside the UNSC, and be familiar with their performance, range and lethality, to advise their team on how to best handle them, or go against them. *Advanced Cyberwarfare: An extremely academic course, Spartans will take their basic cyber and electronic warfare knowledge and take it the next step, learning to penetrate secured systems with ease, manipulate data and otherwise exploit the enemies electronics and networking. *Advanced Scouting Tactics: Learning in this school emphasises stealth, with Spartans learning on how to avoid detection from almost all methods, such as evading trackers, dogs, cameras and electronic sensors. They'll learn to observe targets at a distance and at close range, as well as on how to infiltrate secure positions and silently eliminate a foe. *Hazardous Environs School: HAZ School trains Spartans not just how to fight and survive in otherwise lethal environments, but how to thrive. They'll learn advanced zero-G combat and entry, hazardous environment combat and also learn about chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats (CBRN) and how to safely destroy, defuse or neutralise them. Once their schools are finished, Spartans move to their final phase. Between tours, Spartans can attempt other schools, expanding their knowledge base and skillset. Phase 7 (Spartan Trials) Everything up until now was simply preparations for the final month of their training, known as the Spartan Trials. The Spartan Trials are a series of exercises coinciding with the annual Guardian Bear Military Exercise. The first week are the individual trials, Each Spartan makes repeated runs in the War Game suite, in exercises they are told have been tailored to their skills. The truth is that while the training A.I.s have personalised each exercise to each Spartan, they also introduced randomised elements. During each exercise each one roles 3 electronic die, with the numbers corresponding to randomised events, such as fog of war, extreme weather, increased enemy activity, poor intel, loss of communication with command, non-combatants in the arena or challenges tailored to their weaknesses. Intended to test the Spartan's ability to adapt and overcome adversity, each Spartan must pass or repeat it with the next class. The second week is the team trials. For the first five days, randomised teams are assembled then battle one another in war games, intended to bond the teams for this week. The last two days consists of a similar exercise to the previous week, with teams thrown into a War Game simulation tailored to them, but with randomised events, intended to test the teams responsiveness, chain of command, flexibility and cohesion. The third week the Spartans are assembled into larger sections, under the command of an officer. Similarly, they'll experience 3 days of war game time, before they enter a war game exercise against the 340th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Combat Training Unit. Going into battle with a foe otherwise equal in experience, numbers and weaponry, Spartans are expected to use their armour, augmentations and wiles to crush their foe in a large scale combat exercise. Similarly, the randomised dice change the battle significantly, so while they'll fight across 4 days of exercises, no two days will feature the same battlefield, environment, weather and objective. The last day, the Spartan trainees will operate as part of the Guardian Bear training exercise, fighting alongside real Spartans and representative of the special forces of the 'blue' forces. Going up against holographic enemies in a large and dynamic battlefield, supporting by UNSC Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force, they are expected to perform their objectives without a hitch. After the Spartan trails are finished, Spartans are moved to a unit where their skills would be most appropriate and go on to serve as full Spartans. Equipment Weaponry Rifles Machine Guns Submachine Gun Sniper Rifles Armour Vehicles Drones Other Equipment Tasks Spartan-IVs serve as multifunctional special forces. Within a Squadron, each fire team can act as an individual force, capable of doing a variety of missions including deep reconnaissance, battle space preparation, infiltration, guerilla warfare, direct action and counter terrorism. Each unit has the training and skills to operate independently from their central command structure for weeks, or even months. All the SPARTANs are trained to be free thinking and capable of operating in one man cells, without the leadership of their NCO or CO. As a note of precedence, no SPARTAN wears rank insignia, nor does their IFF transponders contain the data, allowing even the lowest ranked SPARTAN to assume some degree of combat command when situation dictates. SPARTANS are expected to do a variety of roles, including: *Direct Action: Direct Action against enemy forces, entailing small or large scale raids against enemy forces at the front-line or deep within the battlespace to reduce the enemy's ability to wage war. This often consists of a clandestine infiltration, a short and violent battle then exfiltration. Direct Action is often use to secure vital targets, demolish or sabotage vital enemy emplacements (Like ammo dumps, fuel supplies, command and control, etc.), capture or retrieve a target, gather vital intelligence, or amputate enemy command and control structure. This can be done in and out of uniform. *Unconventional Warfare: Spartans can utilise unconventional tactics, such as false flags, infiltration, espionage, subversion and propaganda to destroy or disable an otherwise unassailable foe. *Counter-Terrorism: Spartans are extensively trained to track and eliminate terrorist action. This involves gathering intelligence to track terrorist activities, capture or eliminate them prior to or during an attack, engaging in hostage rescue missions, disabling and removing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and disabling and removing terrorist infrastructure, such as bomb factories, recruitment centres and training areas. *Counter-Insurgency: Spartans often perform counter-insurgency missions, hunting down and neutralising insurgents during intensive counter-insurgency (COIN) operations. This will involve hunting and eliminating insurgents close to or outside civilian populaces, conducting psychological operations to weaken their resolve or to win hearts and minds of local populaces. *''Clandestine Operations'': Spartans have been employed for operations not normally sanctioned, such as infiltration and espionage of political or corporate organizations, or assassination of enemies of the UNSC, killing Insurrectionist leaders and sympathizers. *''Shock Troopers'': Spartans have at times be deployed en-mass, fighting as larger unit as part of much a larger SOCOM, Marine or Army formation., acting as a precision spearhead or acting as a hammer blow, dealing blunt force trauma to the enemy in a directed frontal assault, using their superior skills, equipment and experience to severely damage enemy forces beyond operational capacity and act as a 'shock and awe' force. They also engage in more varied missions, such as patrol, defence, escort, air assault and capture. *''Red Cell'' Operations: Spartans have sometimes been enlisted to perform 'Red Cell' operations (Also known as Tiger Teams or Penetration Tests) where they test the UNSC's capability to withstand attack. During this they will infiltrate or stage attacks on UNSC facilities, emulating terrorist attacks, or attacks by enemy states. This operations are often extremely clandestine and extremely sensitive, often focusing attack on UNSC and UEG hierarchy (In one famous case one UNSCN Admiral was kidnapped no less than 3 times, twice while under heavy guard, and in another case the Red Cell team boarded and captured the transport of the UEG President, capturing him, the secretary of defence, the secretary of homeland security and the secretary of state.). Tiger Teams specialise in testing gear under extreme duress, testing electronics, firearms and other systems in simulated or actual combat situations. Penetration Tests consists of cyberwarfare assaults on friendly systems, with the intent to test their capability to defend against attack. *''Reconnaissance'': All Spartans are trained extensively to gather intelligence, divided into multiple roles: preforming reconnaissance against enemy forces, either by: :*''Reconnaissance by force,'' in which a heavily armed detachment reconnoitres enemy positions. :*''Reconnaissance by Fire'', where SPARTAN force gauge enemy by engaging enemy forces, usually drawing them out to confront a larger force, air support or gauge enemy ordnance. :*''Special Reconnaissance'', where they are expected to report details on enemy forces and direct fire from position or preform undercover reconnaissance, where SPARTANS elect to shed their armour and perform covert reconnaissance in enemy uniforms or civilian dress ("mufti" or "civvies") and gather intelligence on enemy forces. Intelligence gathered includes Human Intelligence, which is gathered from a person on the ground. This includes Espionage, allied diplomats, Military attaches, Non-government organizations, patrols by armed forces or local police, interrogation of prisoners of war, interrogation of Refugees and Strategic reconnaissance, Geospatial Intelligence, which is usually gathered from satellites, aerial photography, mapping/terrain data gathered in the field, this includes Imagery Intelligence. :*''Measurement and Signature Intelligence'', which includes using electronic equipment to measure the thermal, electromagnetic and ionized radiation, to observe and track enemy forces, intercept and triangulate enemy signals and track the deployment and use of weapons and reactors that release high amounts of radiation. :*''Signals Intelligence'' is gathered from interception of signals and includes the disciplines of, COMINT (Communications Intelligence), ELINT (Electronic Intelligence gathered from non-communications electronic emissions), FISINT (Foreign Instrumentation Signals Intelligence) and TELINT (Telemetry Intelligence: the collection and analysis of telemetry data from the target's missile or sometimes from aircraft tests.), :*''Technical Intelligence'' is gathered from analysis of weapons and equipment used by the armed forces of foreign nations, or environmental conditions which also includes the discipline of MEDINT (Medical Intelligence: gathered from analysis of medical records and/or actual physiological examinations to determine health, particular ailments/allergenic conditions for exploitation and effects of chemical and biological weapons.) Tactics The SPARTAN-IVs used a mixed range of tactics, focused around conventional and unconventional tactics. The SPARTANS are trained to preform direct action against enemy forces, and in large scale, fighting as a special operations element of larger formations, such as JSOF or regular military forces, providing a 'jack of all trades' unit, capable of counter terrorism, forward Reconnaissance, deep battle space preparation. They can choose to engage enemy forces in an unsupported role, preforming deep battle space engagements and reconnaissance against enemy forces for short periods, exfiltrating as soon as they have completed their objectives, in Commando styled raids or preform longer guerilla warfare operations against enemy forces in a wide field of operations, engaging enemy forces for prolonged periods. They are expected to care for their own supplies. When fighting as large units, in company sized forces, they are expected to be cohesive and coordinate, working in their predetermined roles to provide fire support, sniper cover, direct assaults, etc., to allow each unit to preform to maximum expectations. The SPARTANS will preform a wide range of unconventional tactics, such as deployment of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS) against enemy forces in a variety of forms, such as car bombs, roadside bombs, 'living bombs', where the bombs are planted into enemy casualties and deployed in enemy supplies, or deployment of booby traps, such as booby trapping ordnance, vehicles, doorways and casualties with grenades, punji pits, noose traps and decoys. Torture, terror tactics, assassination and violent displays of their handiwork are not all that out of the ordinary when they aim to terrorise the enemy. Organization The command organization of the 117th is a fluid and flexible formation, capable of gaining a rigid command structure when needed. While officially part of the 117th, SPARTAN teams can be expected to operate independently, both of the command structure at all levels, but also act independently of the regiment, and even affixed to other units to bolster their formations. During operations as a company or Squadron, SPARTAN units will take on the callsign of their parent unit. However, when operating as an independent team, or a number of independent teams they will take on unit specific callsign. When operating as independent units, singular teams will adapt to preform more specialised roles, such as a fire team utilising a sniper and pointman. Composition *Headquarters and service Company *I Battalion **Alpha Company (Callsign Albion) **Bravo Company (Callsign Blackjack) **Charlie Company (Callsign ) *II Battalion **Delta Company (Callsign ) **Echo Company (Callsign Easy) **Foxtrot Company (Callsign Fox) *III Battalion **Golf Company (Callsign Ghost) **Hotel Company (Callsign Halo) **Indigo Company (Callsign ) *IV Battalion **Juliet Company (Callsign Joker) **Kilo Company (Callsign Kaiser) **Lima Company (Callsign Lambda) *Reserve Company (Callsign Omega) Regiment The regimental formation has, at the top, the CO of the regiment, the Colonel. He is expected to command all four subordinate battalions and as a result, companies, but is capable of setting them loose of command, to run riot as necessary. Also, special operation detachments will report directly to him, operating in his Tactical Operations Centre. The XO of the regiment will directly over see the small communications and logistics attaché and see about working with the Regimental AI to provide that logistic support to the attached units. Attached directly to the General's staff is a Seventh Generation Smart A.I., providing a highly capable aide-de-camp. Attached directly to the regimental HQ is the attached communications and logistics support. While primarily active during the preclude to operations, in supplying the SPARTAN's requisitions prior to the beginning of their mission. However, once in the field, they will operate with the Regimental command staff to provide all logistics and communications between the smaller units and their logistical support. As a 'priority 1' in the logistics chain, SPARTANs are capable of requisitioning space lift units, such as Pelicans, air strikes, orbital strikes, infantry or armoured support, even the aid of special forces, such as deployments of ODSTs, rangers or special air units. Because of their high priority, they can order directly from SOCOM/MARSOC/ARSOC, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Army. The logistics and Communications is run by a staff of twenty marines, including a Master Sergeant, a Gunnery Sergeant and a Second Lieutenant, supported by a specialised Dumb A.I. and a technician crew. These provide signals and logistic support through the use of their satellite relay communication systems, capable of even communicating across different star systems if needed. Battalion At the Battalion level, the CO, a Lieutenant Colonel, is expected to give objectives directly to the three companies beneath him, to direct them into combat. His XO, a Major, is expected to attend to dealing with the staff officers, which come in the form of a S1 Personnel Adjutant, S2 Intel officer, S3 Operations Officer, S4 Logistics Officer and S6 Communications Officer, usually ranked Captain of Major and a Sergeant Major, expected to act as an Enlisted Advisor. To aide all staff of Battalion command is a Seventh Generation Smart AI. Company Attached directly to the command section is the 'Delta Detachment'. This consists of unique operators who are enormously talented and have highly specialised skill sets, but fare poorly in team based structures. Instead they are deployed as lone wolves to perform specialised missions, often without support from their comrades or the UNSC. Each Company is divided into five squadrons and is commanded by a Captain or Major, or their navy alternatives, Lieutenant or Lieutenant Commander, with a direct combat staff made up of Operations Chief, usually a First Sergeant, expected to provide senior NCO advisement, a XO, a First or Second Lieutenant, providing command support and lastly, a Seventh Generation Smart Artificial Intelligence is attached to the CO for direct A.I. support though streamlining command, control and communications, providing electronic warfare support though Electronic Attack, Protection and Intelligence gathering. Attached to each squadron command element are a selection of mission handlers. These specialists are often assigned to work with a Spartan team, acting as their mission handler and liaison, passing on intelligence and developments. Squadron Squads are formed from Two sections, with a CO, who is expected to lead the unit and a platoon sergeant, who is expected to provide command support. Section A Section is made up of 8 teams. These include 3 fireteams, 2 sniper teams, a combat engineer team, Assault Support Platform team and a Recon Team. =Command Team = The Command team consists of a SPARTAN-IV with extensive officer training and a rating of First Lieutenant or Captain and then a senior NCO, usually a Gunnery or Sergeant First Class, in most circumstances recruited from SPARTAN-III or SOCOM talent pools. These operators usually select their weapons and armour based on personal preference. =Fireteam = The base line unit of any SPARTAN-IV force. They are made up of a Team Leader (Staff Sergeant or a Sergeant), an Assistant Leader (Corporal) and then 5 spartans, who can shift their functions for special roles or individual talents, such as a Marksman, Pointman, Vehicle Specialist, Systems Specialist, Special Weapons NCO, Machine Gunner, Assaultman and Grenadiers, or simple operators, who usually carry a mix of basic weaponry for a variety of purposes. Teams are usually constructed around these specialists and as a result can vary greatly. The team can also break down into smaller fire and manoeuvre teams for operations. Fireteams are the jack of all trades for the Section, capable of performing a variety of roles, such as engaging enemy forces, taking and holding a region, assaulting enemy positions, performing patrols, special operations, anti-terrorist operations and anything else an officer can imagine. Due to their highly malleable structure, they can be rebuilt in various ways to perform a number of more specialised missions. For example, taking a pointman for close quarters, an assaultman for anti-structure fire and demolitions and an automatic rifleman for suppressive fire. They usually have two specialists and 2 operators, but varies across different team setups. The team leader and assistant team leader are usually armed and equipped according to personal preferences, using firearms, armour units and equipment to match their strengths and skills and the abilities of their team. The may utilise special equipment limited to team leaders. The equipment of the 4 other Spartans can vary wildly. *The Operator is the most basic Spartan soldier, trained and armed as a soldier. Armed with a MA6A Individual Combat Weapon System or a M55C Enhanced Battle Rifle, they may also carry more exotic weapons, such as the M2A Carbine or M12 Special Operations Carbine, and usually carry secondary weapons for support, such as a M319N Individual Grenade Launcher, M363B Remote Projectile Detonator or a single shot M899 Light Anti Armour Weapon for fire support. *A Marksman is usually equipped for ranged combat, enhancing the range of a fireteam to upwards of 1000 metres, using weapons such as the M55C Enhanced Battle Rifle, the accurized M113 Scout Rifle System or M396 Designated Marksman Rifle and a backup weapon for close quarters, such as a M57 Pistol, M6L Personal Defence Weapon System and M7A Submachine Gun and are tasked with range suppression and high value target elimination. They rarely cross the line between marksman and sniper, and are team operators. They usually use the default armour, though may also use Recruit, Warrior, War Master, Soldier, Protector, Defender, Enforcer, Commando or Strider. *A pointman is a specialist at heading up teams in close quarters, being the first into combat. They are usually equipped aptly for this, with weapons such as the M90D Close Assault Weapon System or M108A1 Close Assault Weapon System, or the M77 Extreme Close Quarters Combat System, either in the standalone package or mounted on a MA6A, B or K ICWS. Some also use different weapon set ups, such as the M2A Carbine, M739C Ultra Light Machine Gun or the M12 Special Operations Carbine. They also utilise M390 Breaching Charges and M394 Clearance Charges to clear their path. They usually take close quarters orientated armour, such as the CQB, or one of its sub-variants, the Vanguard, the Venator, Raider, Protector, Defender, Commando, Grenadier, Locus and Ranger. *A Vehicle Specialist is a Spartan specialising in use of vehicles, usually the Warthog attack vehicles made famous by Spartans, or FENRIS exoskeleton, and are usually equipped with MJOLNIR, Recruit, Soldier or Warrior and usually carry a carbine or a personal defence weapon. *A Systems Specialist is an operator who specialises in electronic and cyber warfare, assaulting the enemies capacity to communicate, control and coordinate, confusing and separating them before a fatal strike, or extracting vital intel without exposing themselves to harm. They usually have carbines and personal defence weapons and utilises CIO, Raider, Warrior, Commando, War Master and Operator. *Special Weapons NCO is a weapon specialist who operates a variety of exotic and rare weapons. These include, but are not limited to the Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6B Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle, the MX12 Directed Ion Energy Rifle, the M921 Asymmetric Recoilless Carbine, the M41B2 Medium Anti-Vehicle/Assault Weapon, M705 Defoliant projector, M44 Anti Infantry/Foliage Gun or specialised stationary weapon systems such as the M55 GUARD DOG Sentry Gun or the M56 Search And Strike Intelligent Missile. They'll often carry heavier duty armour, such as the GUGNIR, Defender, Ranger or Grenadier, or the Soldier for carrying plenty of equipment. *A Machine Gunner utilises heavy machine guns for long periods of sustained fire against hardened targets. They carry a M739C Ultra Light Machine Gun for close range suppression, a M122 Light Machine Gun for short to medium range fire, the MX4 Light Support Weapon for fire support, the M397 Individual Automatic Rifle for high accuracy, long range suppression, the M389B General Purpose Machine Gun for sustained heavy fire, the M247H2 Heavy Machine Gun for hardened targets and light armour, the AIE-486I Heavy Machine Gun for high suppression or the M780 Special Purpose Machine Gun for huge volumes of fire. They'll team this with armour suited to a variety of situations, such as MJOLNIR, Warrior, Recruit, Soldier, CQB, Raider, Protector, Defender, Grenadier, Commando or Ranger. *Assaultman are specialists in urban combat and assault demolitions. Utilising the M66 Light Multipurpose Assault Weapon to take out light armour, structures and infantry formations, they team this with a carbine or a rifle, and demolition charges for breaching. They'll usually deploy in CQB, Soldier, Vanguard, Commando or Ranger. *Grenadiers are specialized in the use of grenade launchers, and companion weapons. They use weapons such as the M23 Multiple Grenade Launcher for taking on large groups of infantry or hardened positions, the M556 Counter Defilade Grenade Launcher and M26 Grenade Launcher Module for eliminating enemy targets in cover, the M319N Individual Grenade Launcher and M24 Underslung Grenade Launcher for hitting enemy infantry, structures and light vehicles, the M25 Underslung Rocket Launcher for taking out hardened targets in defilade at long range or the M363B Remote Projectile Detonator for eliminating enemy infantry and vehicles in close quarters, or laying ambushes. These are usually teamed or mounted on an assault or battle rifle. The operators wear varies forms of armour, usually opting for standard variants. =Scout Sniper Team = A Sniper Team consists of two SPARTANS, a spotter and a sniper, most often with one operating an anti-personal sniper rifle and the other operating an anti-material rifle. Scout-Snipers, aside from providing direct Sniper support, are expected to move ahead of the main force and provide long range reconnaissance and also sow terror and discord amongst the enemy by sniping targets of opportunity such as officers, leaders, patrols, weapon crews, enemy materiel like weapons, fuel, ammo, even food or logistic vehicles. This psychological discord would pave the way for the other SPARTANs. When in urban combat environments, aside from providing high level sniper and engagement, they engage in counter sniping activities. A team is made up of a Team Leader (Corporal) and a Scout-Sniper (Lance Corporal). There are two sniper teams in each section. They team usually uses sniper rifles, such as the Sniper Rifle System 99G-S3 Anti-Materiel, a modular 14.5mm sniper capable of firing anti-materiel and anti-personnel rounds, with long and short barrels available for different ranges and environments, the M1091 Sniper Rifle System, a powerful anti-personnel rifle with long range, the M113 Scout Rifle System, which is useful for mid ranged, target rich environments, the M99CA1 Special Application Scoped Rifle for eliminating hardened targets and obscene ranges and the exceedingly powerful Sniper Rifle System 40A-O Anti-Materiel/Anti-Vehicle for engaging vehicles and bunkers at long range. They also regularly carry pistols, carbines and other short firearms for close in defence. For defence of their position, they might also carry M121 Bounding Anti-Personnel Mine and M127 Anti-Personnel Mine. They also use the AN/PLQ-57 'Ghost' Infantry Decoy to evade detection. Scout-Snipers most commonly use the stealthy Scout armour variant for their duties, though often use the Deadeye variant for its accuracy enhancing capabilities. They also use Recon if they need to perform electronic warfare missions, Infiltrator to infiltrate and egress from secured areas, the Operator when thye act far in advanced and must keep in regular contact, CIO for observation missions, and the Tracker for long range pursuit. They also use the Commando and Strider for versatile missions require more protection and combat focus. They almost always wear Camouflage Cloak Mark II for obscuring their presence. =Combat Engineering Team = A engineering team is made up of two SPARTANS specially trained in combat engineering. While not detailed to build defences, they are trained in mine laying, demolitions, close combat and repair duties, making them effective in the field. They are also trained to interact with domestic, exotic and alien technology, to repair, sabotage and record in the field. A team is made up of a Team Leader (Corporal) and a Combat Engineer (Lance Corporal). Engineers are usually armed in polarity to one another. One is usually armed for close quarters fighting, where much of their exercises may take place, while the other is armed with a long range weapon for anti-materiel duties. Usually this consists of a MA6K, M12 SOC, M7A SMG, M90D CAWS, M109A1 CAWS, M77 ECQCW or M2A Carbine, while the long range specialist usually carries a SRS-99G, M1091 SRS, or M11 HBR for eliminating explosives at long range. They also carry their fair share of explosives, such as M320, M341 and M362 Anti-Tank Mine, M121 Bounding Anti-Personnel Mine, C-7 Foaming Explosive for delicate and precise explosive work, such as the M303 Thermite Cord, M311 Detonation Cord, the powerful M382 Special Munition Attack Charge (Kinetic), its smaller brother, the M404 Special Lightweight Attack Munition, the multi-purpose M379 Explosive Pack, which can be fitted with C-14 Plastic Explosive or C-13 Gertex explosives, M366 Demolition Charge, or the C-15 Liquid Explosive filled M376 Satchel Charge. They also carry M2 Anti-Materiel Grenade for destroying enemy materiel, sabotaging enemy equipment or 'spiking' enemy cannons. They also carry extra gear such as M-1126 Explosives Installation Tool and the AN/PLQ-44 Explosive Defuser. Combat Engineers are usually equipped with the Engineer armour, which is equipped with advanced software and hardware to aid them in their endeavours. They also use Pioneer when far ahead of the main force, in hostile terrain. They also use the EOD variant extensively, especially when going up against enemy ordnance, such as mines, unexploded munitions and improvised explosives, being able to sniff out and defuse them, and remain safe in the event of accidental detonation. =Reconnaissance Team = Reconnaissance Teams are the eyes and ears of a Spartan company. Known as 'Stalkers', Reconnaissance teams, though arranged in four man cells, operate independently, often with 1 operating forward unsupported and the other three pathfinding for other teams. Each Stalker is expected to operate unsupported, at long ranges, for long periods of time, carrying his own arms, survival equipment and explosives. As well as providing Reconnaissance of the area forward of their comrades, they are expected to prepare the battle space for the following SPARTANs by causing chaos and havoc via terror raids on the enemy, demolitions, psychological attacks and raiding. They are also expected to mark targets for artillery, air or orbital bombardment. A team is made up of a Team Leader (Staff Sergeant), a Pointman (Corporal), for combat entries, a Designated Marksman (Private First Class) and a Reconnaissance Man (Private). Stalker teams routinely use a variety of weapons, all of which are suppressed. These include the MA6K Carbine, MA6B ICWS, M2A, M7A SMG, M12S/SH SOC, M55C EBR,Scout Rifle System, M1091 Sniper Rifle System and M57 Pistol and M6L Personal Defence Weapon System. As well as this, they sometimes carry offensive grenades, flashbangs and sometimes carry non-lethal weapons for use against enemies to sneak past a position unnoticed. They also carry bladed weapons intended for short range, silent take downs, such as [[Black River Commando] knife, M17 Close Quarters Ballistic Weapon System and the M29 Survival and Egress Knife, as well as other survival-centric blades. Stalker teams use a wide variety of armour units, but most commonly deploy in the Scout armour, for maximum stealth capabilities. However, based on their personal preference and choices, they deploy in other variants for different operations. Sometimes they deploy in the Recon armour to provide roving electronic warfare support, the Stalker variant for close range target acquisition and elimination, the Infiltrator variant for quietly accessing well defended areas and causing havoc, the Locus for high-danger scenarios, with high strength armour and advanced systems, the Operator for enhanced communications and data sharing, even deep behind enemy lines, the Combat Information Officer for the interception, decryption and dissemination of enemy information, the Pathfinder, for solitary deep reconnaissance and direct in reinforcements and the Tracker for, as the name suggests, Tracking a target over ridiculous distances, regardless of time span. =Armoured Support Platform Team = ASP Teams are a pair of SPARTANS that operate armoured support, providing heavy firepower for SPARTAN formations. They utilise a variety of vehicles, such as the M808G Scorpion Main Battle Tank, M808G Scorpion Assault Vehicle Engineers, M814 Panther Close Assault Vehicle, M85 Coyote Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, M86 Stallion Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, M87 Bloodhound Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle, M99 Manx Mobile Electronic Warfare Support or the M5 Ogre All Terrain Armoured Assault Walker, with both Spartans crewing these vehicles. More commonly though, they individually utilise assault mechs, their most used one being the M84 Fenris ATAAS, or the larger M9D Mantis Armour Defence System. Spartans deploying in Fenris exoskeletons usually deploy with the powerful M247H2B Objective Individual Weapon System, a .50 calibre assault rifle with an electronic sight and detachable 30/50 round box. Other weapons include a magazine fed 20mm rifle, a 9.5mm machine pistol, a 25mm grenade revolver, a pump action 40mm gun that can fire grenade rounds or buckshot rounds, a 40mm sniper rifle or a 25mm gauss gun. It can also mount weapons on each shoulder, including a 4 shot 80mm rocket pod, a 2 shot 102mm missile pod, a 25mm grenade launcher or a M780 6.5mm machine gun. On the Mantis, the main weapon is the 25mm rotary cannon, with dual ammunition feed. The secondary weapon is a 5 shot 102mm missile pod, but this can be replaced by 2 MGM-54 Fang ATGW tubes, 12 MASR-79 Calliope rockets or a modified M68B Asynchronous Linear-Induction Motor, better known as the 25mm gauss gun. On each 'shoulder' it also mounts a PALADIN Weapon Station, allowing it to mount rockets, missiles, anti-personnel weapons or point defence LASERs, allowing them to take on a variety of different enemies. Operators usually wear M7 Objective Ground Reconnaissance Armour, which is slim and light weight armour, with its own shielding and stealth systems, that doesn't give them excess bulk inside the armour. They also usually carry personal defence weapons with them, including carbines, sub machine guns and pistols, as well as survival tools. Special Purpose Units At times, units may be rearranged to preform special duties, such as EVA combat. Units are handpicked within a company to form these units to preform these special duties and are placed under normal command, with displaced units forming ad-hoc combat units in support. =Special Environment Unit = Sometimes Spartans were called to duty in environments such as vacuums, low gravity worlds, high pressure worlds and such units received dual training with EVA capabilities. Units were usually trained for deep space, pressure and gravity specialist operations separately, with them trained for underwater ops as well. They were usually equipped with the correct MJOLNIR variant for the job, such as EVA for deep space operations, as well as mobility enhancing units such as G-Packs, or Orbital for short ranged, high-intensity boarding actions, HAZOP for extreme environments, Ranger for less environmentally hostile but for more enemy hostile battlespaces, and Amphibious armour for special operations out to see or close to shore. =Jump Unit = During special operations, some units were re-equipped with Jump and Jet packs and JUMP armour and set into special theatres. This gave them greater tactical flexibility. This was most notably used for airborne drops, air assault missions requiring low level jumps, fighting in dense terrain where a unit such as an assault team could surprise an enemy from above, Fire team and weapon teams could get to a new firing position, snipers could relocate more easily, Reconnaissance teams could scope out the area from above and Engineers could drop explosives from the air or get to or away from a demolition site more easily.